Toilets are generally quite heavy and of an awkward shape and size, making them difficult to lift and maneuver. Installation of toilets involves lowering the toilet vertically onto two upstanding T-bolts that project up from a flange around a drain pipe opening in the floor. Depending on the weight and design of the toilet, it can often be difficult to grasp and lift the toilet, making transport and installation of the toilet difficult. A variety of tools and devices have been developed to aid in the lifting and transport of toilets, specific examples of which are discussed below.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,262,590 describes a device for lifting and transporting a toilet, comprising a lifting jack arranged to engage the rim of the toilet, wherein the lifting jack is supported by a wheeled support frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,076 describes a toilet lifting and transporting device constructed from a piece of hollow steel tubing which is bent to define a U-shaped base frame, with a pair of wheels mounted adjacent the ends thereof, having a pair of support legs extending upwardly from the sides of the base frame at substantially right angles thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,685,170 describes a collapsible toilet lifting and transporting device. The device has a support structure with three vertical legs with wheels on the bottoms and horizontal support structures connecting the legs at the tops. The strap system includes a loop that engages the bowl of a toilet and rear straps that engage the back of the toilet.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,379 describes an adjustable toilet dolly having a wheeled U-shaped frame that slides around either side of a toilet bowl. The dolly further comprises jack screws that can be adjusted to lift the toilet for transport.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,886,192 describes a toilet lifting and transport device having forward and rear legs, which can be coupled to a toilet fixture through use of a tank strap and bridge straps. The toilet is lifted through use of a screw lift.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,134,151 describes a wheeled toilet transporting frame that can be broken down and folded for storage and transport.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,798,469 describes an apparatus for lifting and transporting a toilet comprising a base frame having three sides and a lift frame pivotally attached to one end of the base frame. The apparatus further comprises a jack device attached to the lift frame for lifting the toilet.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,841,028 describes a toilet moving device comprising a dolly that can be inserted under a front of a toilet pedestal to assist in lifting of the toilet. A base is coupled to the dolly and a lifting assembly, which engages the tank of a toilet, is coupled to the base.
US 2007/0057476 describes a wheeled cart having a lift mechanism that is arranged to engage a toilet rim and facilitate lifting and transport of the toilet.
US 2007/0256238 describes a toilet moving apparatus having a base portion, at least two toilet lifting members configured for positioning underneath the bowl portion of the toilet, a toilet securing member extending upward from the base portion that is designed to fit over the rim of the toilet bowl, and a lifting mechanism.
US 2008/0109957 describes a toilet lifting and transporting apparatus comprising a frame with a pair of side members, a bracing mechanism, wheels, and a rotatable lifting arm.
US 2012/0187357 describes a wheeled toilet dolly for lifting a toilet from the floor, the dolly having a frame including a pair of spaced apart members that are positionable on opposite sides of the toilet, and bowl lifting portions operated by a lever assembly.
A further toilet-engaging device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,112,527. This patent describes a temporary toilet bowl stopper that is adapted for installation into the open top of a toilet bowl to stop back flow from a connected sewer.
While a number of toilet lifting devices have been described, there remains a desire for a toilet lifting tool that is space-saving and that can readily be installed onto and removed from a toilet as needed.